A GOFUNDME page has been set up for two children left orphaned after the death of their father last week.

Richard Purvis, of Elsenham, was just 51. His wife Beth, passed away in June last year, five days after her 42nd birthday.

An online fundraising appeal in aid of the youngsters, called “Raising money for their futures”, set up by Beth’s friend Cassie Brodie and Nicola Helm, has raised more than £20,000 through over 800 donations in 48 hours since its launch on Wednesday.

Richard, who had close links to Harlow, was an electrician who ran a property maintenance and building service.

According to Essex Police, no other vehicle was involved in the car crash, which happened on Hall Road, Elsenham, on Saturday (October 1) at about 4.50pm.

A spokesman for the force said: “We arrived and sadly found the driver of the car had died.

“We are investigating the circumstances which led up to the incident and we need anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage of it to get in contact.”

A spokeswoman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “On arrival, crews reported that a vehicle had left the roadway and was on fire. Crews extinguished the fire by 5.47pm.”

Richard and Beth married in 2007 and faced her devastating cancer diagnosis together. They were told in September 2016 she had stage 3 bowel cancer and a month later she underwent an operation to remove a bowel tumour. Chemotherapy followed.

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https://www.bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk/news/tragedy-of-richards-death-in-car-crash-the-year-after-wife-9277964/